Pure ‘Bread’

One of the oldest prepared foods, evidence of bread can be traced back to almost 30000 years. Originally baked on hot stones, using airborne yeast and beer as the leavening agent, the recipe has modernized and found its way into kitchens of every culture possible. Each country has its own styles of bread. Bread is…

Baking and Pastry – The evolution of Sweetness

The origins of pastry date back to ancient and classical times. First Egyptians then Roman and not until Medieval period the fuller pastry recipes with short crust and puff version came into existence with which we are familiar today.   A lot of these early recipes, somewhat around 15th century, included egg yolks and saffron to add…

Let’s Nachos

While most of us today have become more health conscious than ever before, sticking to an oil free, less fat diet is not an easy task. Let’s face it, more we try to control, stronger is the craving for the sinful foods! One question that many of us have asked ourselves in this gastronomical struggle…

Major baking trends in 2017

The rise of the Croissants The wait for the croissant lovers should end mostly by 2018 because Britannia has entered into the croissant industry by getting into a venture with Chipita SA. The product has found huge acceptance in the European markets and should be one of the fastest growing industries in India due to…

The History of the Pie

What happens when pastry meets filling…. A beautiful pie. The history of pies goes all the way back to the ancient Greeks. It is believed that they were the first ones to come up with the pie pastry. Even the Romans used many meat items to create savory versions of these delicious pies. The version…

Evolution of the Fondant Cake

The origin of the fondant cake can be traced back to the year 1558. The earliest ingredients were rosewater, sugar, egg, lemon juice and gum paste (also known as gum tragacanth or gum dragon). This vegetable gum is also used in fondant cakes today. However, these early fondants were devoid of butter. Initially fondants were commercialised…

Naan – the Indian flatbread

A bread of Middle-Eastern origin, or precisely of Persian roots has found its way into the heart of Indian cuisine. You have guessed it right, it’s our favourite Naan! The word 'Naan' comes from the Persian word 'Non', which means bread. It is a type of flatbread, usually baked in a tandoor with the help…

Pav-the Goan bread

If you are a Goan the one sound you here early in the morning-other then your alarm- is the sound of a ‘poder’s’ horn. After rice, pav is the second source of carbohydrates in Goa. Varieties include pav, a rectangular, pull-apart refined flour bread, the bhakri –like flatter round bread, katro pav -butterfly bread, and…

Baking through the ages

What comes to your mind when the word ‘Bakery’ is said? Probably the warm and fuzzy feeling associated with the smell of freshly baked bread. Having said that, we have come a long way from baking bread over a hot rock in the wilderness before the invention of fire, to red velvet cupcakes. The earliest…